The West Ouachita (Calhoun) and Union Parish (Farmerville) FFA Chapters hosted supply drives last week to help their fellow members at Winnfield Senior High School (WSHS). On Saturday, September 5, advisors from West Ouachita and Union Parish delivered loads of supplies to WSHS to help FFA and community members get back on their feet following the devastation left by Hurricane Laura on August 27. The chapters donated water, food, gift cards, hygiene products, pet food, etc.

FFA members spent Saturday afternoon distributing these resources to community members in need and without electricity. Parker Carlino, Winnfield FFA’s Upperclassman Vice President, said, “Seeing people in my community in need and being able to pass out essential resources to them was truly an eye-opening experience.”

The Winnfield FFA Chapter is grateful for all donations and was glad to use these resources in the community. The last line of the FFA motto, “Living to Serve,” signifies the vital role that service plays in the National FFA Organization. 

Virtual Application Process Rolling Out in Phases, Starting September 10th

BATON ROUGE- The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) received approval on Sept. 8 to begin virtual Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) operations in sixteen parishes to provide additional food aid to families impacted by Hurricane Laura. The program will run in phases, with the first phase beginning Thursday, Sept. 10.

DSNAP, formerly called Disaster Food Stamps, provides food assistance to eligible households who do not receive regular SNAP benefits and who need help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster. The state must request that the federal government initiate DSNAP, but can only make the request after the president activates the Stafford Act and approves the parish for Individual Assistance (IA). Each IA-approved parish must also request DSNAP before the benefits can be provided to eligible residents of that parish.

The 16 parishes that have been approved for IA and have requested DSNAP are Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, Vermilion, Vernon and Winn.

DSNAP will operate in the approved parishes in two phases, with Phase 1 beginning Sept. 10 for nine parishes and Phase 2 beginning Sept. 17 for seven parishes. If additional parishes are approved for IA and request DSNAP, DCFS will add a third phase of DSNAP beginning Sept. 23. For a complete schedule, see below.

SNAP recipients are not eligible for DSNAP and should not apply. Information about SNAP benefits changes related to Hurricane Laura, including replacement benefits for food lost due to power outages, can be found at http://www.dcfs.la.gov/SNAPLaura.

What Applicants Need to Know

Due to concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, DSNAP applications will be handled by phone, and benefits cards will be mailed or sent through FedEx to approved applicants.

Residents in the approved parishes for each phase will be assigned a day, based on the first letter of their last name, to call the LAHelpU Customer Service Center to apply for DSNAP. On their designated day, residents will call 1-888-LA-HELP-U (1-888-524-3578), between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Translation services are available for individuals whose primary language is not English.

DCFS is anticipating significant interest in the DSNAP program. Three steps residents can take before calling to apply that will help reduce call wait times are:

Register online first. Step-by-step instructions for this can be found at http://www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP.
Download the LA Wallet mobile app for identity and residency verification. Information on the app, including download links, can be found at LAWallet.com.
Gather all information needed for the application. A list of what is needed can be found in the FAQs at http://www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP.

When residents call to apply, a worker will verify the applicant’s identity and residency, and obtain information about their income, resources and disaster-related expenses. Applicants will be told on the phone immediately after completing their application whether they have been approved to receive DSNAP and, if so, the amount of benefits they will receive. Applicants also will receive a letter by mail, confirming the eligibility decision made on their application.

Applicants may name an Authorized Representative (AR) to apply for DSNAP benefits on their behalf. The head of household must authorize the person to serve as AR on their behalf, and the worker will need to speak to the head of household to confirm that they agree for the AR to speak on their behalf.

Application Schedule

Phase 1: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Rapides, Vermilion and Vernon Parishes

Application period opens on Thursday, Sept. 10, with residents calling to apply according to the following schedule:

Day 1 (Sept. 10) – Residents with last names beginning with A-C
Day 2 (Sept. 11) – D-G
Day 3 (Sept. 12) – H-L
Day 4 (Sept. 13) – M-R
Day 5 (Sept. 14) – S-Z
Day 6 & 7 (Sept. 15-16) – Open for all (letters A-Z) in the Phase 1 parishes

Phase 2: Grant, Jackson, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Sabine and Winn Parishes

Application period opens on Thursday, Sept. 17, with residents calling to apply according to the following schedule:

Day 1 (Sept. 17) – Residents with last names beginning with A-C
Day 2 (Sept. 18) – D-G
Day 3 (Sept. 19) – H-L
Day 4 (Sept. 20) – M-R
Day 5 (Sept. 21) – S-Z
Days 6 & 7 (Sept. 22-23) – Open for all (letters A-Z) in the Phase 2 parishes

Additional information about DSNAP can be found by texting LADSNAP to 898-211 or at www.dcfs.la.gov/DSNAP.

BATON ROUGE, La. — If you were affected by Hurricane Laura from Aug. 22-27 and you live in Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, Vermilion, Vernon, or Winn Parish, you may be eligible for FEMA help.

Assistance provided by FEMA for homeowners and renters can include grants for rent and repairs to make their primary home habitable. It can also help other serious disaster-related needs like replacing essential household items, medical and dental expenses and funeral and burial costs.

Survivors should file an insurance claim at the same time as they apply to FEMA. Save yourself time, if you have insurance, you must file a claim.

If you have uninsured or underinsured losses, contact FEMA by either going online to disasterassistance.gov, downloading the FEMA app or by calling the helpline at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.

Information that you need to have when you register includes:

• Address of the damaged primary dwelling where the damage occurred

• Current mailing address

• Current telephone number

• Insurance information

• Total household annual income

• Routing and account number for checking or savings account so FEMA can directly transfer disaster assistance funds

• A description of disaster-caused damage and losses

Home Inspections and COVID-19

If you reported that you cannot or may not be able to safely live in your home, it may be necessary for FEMA to perform an inspection of the damaged dwelling. Due to COVID-19, home inspections may be conducted remotely by phone.

For remote inspections, FEMA inspectors will contact you by phone to ask questions about the type and extent of damage sustained. Remote inspections provide a new way of evaluating damage — comparable to traditional, in-person inspections – and expedite the delivery of recovery assistance to survivors based on their eligibility.

If you had minimal damage and can live in your home, you will not automatically be scheduled for a home inspection when applying to FEMA. If you find significant disaster-caused damage after you apply to FEMA, you can request an inspection.

Part of the FEMA disaster assistance registration process includes providing a call back phone number for FEMA to contact you to set up a home inspection for damages caused by the disaster and other helpline information.

Applicants using a relay service, such as your videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel, should provide your specific number assigned to that service. It is important that FEMA is able to contact you, and you should be aware phone calls from FEMA may come from an unidentified number.

If you have any questions, you can always contact the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. For TTY call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay service, please call 800-621-3362.

For the latest information on Hurricane Laura, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4559.

Program Benefits Families of Children Who Normally Receive Free or Reduced-Price Meals at School

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana is giving families another opportunity to receive financial benefits from free and reduced-price school meals missed when schools closed in 2019-2020 due to the pandemic. Eligible families who did not apply for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program in May and June can take advantage of the second application window that opens for three weeks, beginning at 8 a.m. September 8.

Families of children who normally receive free or reduced-price meals are eligible for the program. This includes all children who attend a Community Eligibility Provision school (will open in new tab) where all children receive free and reduced-price meals regardless of income. This second application period of the 2019-2020 P-EBT is only for families of the estimated 264,111 students who did not apply to receive P-EBT benefits during the initial window in the spring. When the original application window closed June 15, the families of nearly 470,800 eligible children signed up to receive benefits.

These one-time benefits, which total $285 per child, intend to cover 50 school days, from the onset of statewide school facility closures in March through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. Parents who applied for free meals in May, after the P-EBT program was announced, will receive $91.20 per eligible child, which covers the cost of meals for 16 school days in May.

Local school systems will notify families they might be eligible for P-EBT. The families must then apply if they wish to receive the benefits. The application will be available in a P-EBT portal on the Louisiana Department of Education website (will open in new tab). The portal opens September 8 at 8 a.m., and the deadline to apply is September 29 at 5 p.m. State officials expect considerable interest in the program and ask applicants to be patient in trying to access the portal.

The online application is simple, requiring only a name, address, date of birth, school district and school. Social security numbers, while helpful, are not required. The information submitted by the family, however, must exactly match the information on file with the school system in order for the application to successfully submit.

Once families complete an application in the portal, the computer system will notify them of their successful submission. Upon verification, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (will open in new tab) will then request a P-EBT debit card for the household to be loaded with a one-time benefit. Applicants can expect their cards within 30 days of their application. Benefits will be available for 365 days.

P-EBT is different from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is issued on a Louisiana Purchase EBT card to approved low-income households. However, the P-EBT card can be used to purchase the same eligible food for the household as can be purchased with a SNAP card. All SNAP families with qualifying students are also eligible to receive P-EBT benefits if they apply, and P-EBT also is available to non-SNAP families if they meet the P-EBT guidelines.

P-EBT is not related to loss from Hurricane Laura. Eligibility is solely based on student participation in the free or reduced-price meal program.

Louisiana was approved by the federal government to offer the P-EBT program on May 15, and the original online application launched on May 18. At that time, 611,430 children were deemed eligible. After the program began and additional families applied for free and reduced-price meals, the number of eligible children increased to 729,507.

Various factors could have influenced the number of families who were eligible but who did not submit an application. Unlike other states offering the federal program, for example, Louisiana could not automatically provide benefits to eligible families because of the state’s restrictive data privacy laws for students, so every eligible family was required to submit an application. In addition, Louisiana has a large number of Community Eligibility Provision (will open in new tab) schools at which every child, regardless of their family’s income, receives free and reduced-price meals at school.

The P-EBT program was authorized by Congress in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. In obtaining federal approval for P-EBT, Louisiana joined more than 22 other states participating in the program.

For more information, consult a list of Frequently Asked Questions (will open in new tab) or contact the LAHelpU Customer Service Center at LaHELPU.DCFS@la.gov (will open in new tab) or 1-888-524-3578. Families who need food assistance can also call 211 to inquire about food pantries and other available resources in their communities.

LDOE and DCFS are partnering with numerous non-profit organizations to connect these benefits with eligible families who did not apply for the program during the original application period. Those organizations are Feeding Louisiana (will open in new tab), Food Research & Action Center (will open in new tab),  Louisiana Association of United Ways (will open in new tab), Louisiana Budget Project (will open in new tab), Louisiana Partnership for Children & Families (will open in new tab), Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry America (will open in new tab) and Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry Louisiana (will open in new tab).

According to the Louisiana Department of Health website on September 10, 2020, Winn Parish reported 26 new cases of COVID 19 this week, bringing the parish total of people who have tested positive to 582. There was one additional deaths in Winn Parish this week bringing the parish total at seventeen. As of 9/7/20 there were 46 active positive cases in Winn Parish.

The week of 8/27/20 – 9/2/20 the Winn Parish percent positivity rate jumped 87.88% from 6.6% to 12.4% compared to the week before.

 

The latest Nursing Home Report dated  September 9, 2020, reflects two new cases among residents, and one new case among staff reported for this week at Winnfield Nursing & Rehab. Autumn Leaves Nursing & Rehab Center reported no new cases among residents, one death among residents and no new case among staff.

Facility	Autumn Leaves	Winnfield Nursing & Rehab
Parish	Winn	Winn
Resident Census	92	72
Total COVID-19 Cases Among Residents	6	46
New COVID-19 Cases Among Residents Since Last Report (9-2-20)	0	2
Total Residents Recovered	4	35
Total COVD-19 Deaths Among Residents	1	10
Total COVID-19 Cases Among Staff	8	23
New COVID-19 Cases Among Staff Since Last Report (9-2-20)	0	1
Total Staff Recovered	8	22

You can view the entire report here.

Recent Winn Parish daily testing numbers are shown in the table below.

Collection Date	Test Count	Negative Test	Positive Test
8/8/20	5	3	2
8/9/20	9	7	2
8/10/20	55	44	11
8/11/20	227	213	14
8/12/20	168	152	15
8/13/20	49	40	9
8/14/20	21	12	9
8/15/20	8	3	5
8/16/20	18	14	4
8/17/20	44	36	8
8/18/90	208	198	10
8/19/20	119	110	9
8/20/20	75	66	9
8/21/20	104	100	4
8/22/20	6	3	3
8/23/20	14	11	3
8/24/20	37	32	5
8/25/20	193	186	7
8/26/20	113	107	6
8/27/20	10	10	0
8/28/20	13	9	4
8/27/20	10	10	0
8/28/20	13	9	4
8/29/20	14	13	1
8/30/20	8	3	5
8/31/20	59	41	17
9/1/20	120	118	2
9/2/20	26	25	1

You can view the entire report here.

The Winn Parish School Board will hold a public Ad Valorem Tax hearing to consider levying additional or increased millage rates without further voter approval or adopting the adjusted millage rates after reassessment and rolling forward to rates not to-exceed the prior year’s maximum on Monday, September 14, 2020, at 5 :30 p.m. in the meeting room of the Winn Parish School Board in Winnfield, Louisiana.

Louisiana this weekend will move into “phase three” of the White House-approved restrictions meant to control the spread of COVID-19, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday.

The current executive order expires Friday. It was expected that the Governor would issue the new proclamation on Thursday, however by the time The Journal was published it had not been issued.

The governor did say the state’s mask mandate will remain in place. Business owners remain in the dark about the rules they will be expected to follow for the foreseeable future.

It is also unclear what will be the impact on public gatherings such as sporting events. KEEL Radio, Shreveport reported that LSU has said when it opens the fall Football season Tiger Stadium will only be filled to 25% of capacity. It was reported Thursday that season ticket holders and students would get the first shot at buying the tickets that would be available.

 

Here is the full text of the news release from the Louisiana High School Athletic Association concerning the decision to go ahead with contact sports. The football portion is in bold type.

Executive Committee Votes to Move Forward With Football

LHSAA Executive Director, Eddie Bonine, met with the Louisiana House of Representatives and LHSAA Executive Committee to discuss the 2020 fall football season.

On August 25, Governor John Bel Edwards announced the extension of Phase II until September 11, 2020 pushing back the start of the fall football season.

Executive Director, Eddie Bonine, met with the LHSAA Executive Committee today to further discuss the 2020 fall football season after meeting with the Louisiana House of Representatives on Friday, September 4. The Executive Committee voted 22-1 to begin contact sports in LHSAA Competition Stage 1. The LHSAA cannot overturn any government order disallowing the start of contact sports in their parish.

Cross country, swimming and volleyball began competition in Phase II. The Executive Committee approved that Football can begin practice in full pads tomorrow, September 10th. Also, on the agenda, the Executive Committee voted to approve a football schedule that includes a scrimmage (9/24 – 9/26), eight games (starting with their week 3 game on 10/1 – 10/3) with a 32 team playoff bracket (beginning 11/27 – 11/28). The 2020 Prep Classic will be held on December 26-28 in New Orleans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Under Article 4.4.4 in the LHSAA Constitution, the Board approved the select schools participation at the same venues as the non-select schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

“It’s exciting that the LHSAA can contribute to some sort of normality for the students and schools.” said Executive Director, Eddie Bonine.

The LHSAA staff has developed fall sport-specific event guidelines with help from Dr. Stewart, from the Tulane Sports and the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, for schools when conducting interscholastic competition. Competition guidelines will be posted in the near future.

Multi-Parish Burn Ban Continues

Baton Rouge, La. (September 9, 2020) – Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, D.V.M., said a multi-parish burn ban issued after Hurricane Laura remains in effect.

“I’d like to remind everyone that a burn ban is still in place. Between dry conditions, areas that are still struggling to get water systems up and running again and rural fire departments in which resources are already stretched, it is important that citizens abide by the burn ban restrictions,” said Strain. “What we do not need are people burning piles of debris and those fires getting out of control with limited resources to put out those fires.”

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is currently working with the timber industry to establish damage assessments post Hurricane Laura. Timber is the largest commodity in the state valued at approximately $3.5 billion.

At the end of August, Strain and State Fire Marshal H. Butch Browning issued a cease and desists order for all private burning, pursuant to authority under R.S. 40:1602, for the following parishes: Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Red River, Sabine, Union, Vernon and Winn.

The ban does not apply to prescribed burns by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), by those trained and certified by the LDAF, or by those who conduct prescribed burning as a “generally accepted agriculture practice” as defined by the Louisiana Right to Farm Law (R.S. 3:3601 et seq.).

New Orleans − Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson announced today that considering the state of emergency declared statewide by Governor John Bel Edwards as a result of then-Tropical Storm Laura on August 21, 2020 in Executive Proclamation Number 108 JBE 2020 and the catastrophic damage that Hurricane Laura has caused in the state, the Louisiana Supreme Court has issued an emergency Order suspending deadlines in criminal matters in 21 parishes: Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, Cameron, Claiborne, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, and Winn.

The Order reads as follows:

Emergency suspension of time limitations. All time periods, limitations, and delays pertaining to the initiation, continuation, prosecution, defense, appeal, and post-conviction relief of any prosecution of any state or municipal criminal, juvenile, wildlife, or traffic matter within the parishes of Acadia, Allen, Beauregard, Bienville, Calcasieu, Cameron, Claiborne, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lincoln, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Rapides, Sabine, Union, Vermilion, Vernon and Winn are hereby suspended for a period of 30 days commencing from August 21, 2020.

Prior Order. Part 2 of the Order of this Court dated September 2, 2020 suspending time limitations in Calcasieu Parish for ninety (90) days commencing on September 2, 2020 is hereby rescinded in accordance with Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Article 955D and replaced with the time limitation specified above. All other provisions of the September 2, 2020 Order remain in effect.

For more information visit lasc.org or contact Louisiana Supreme Court Public Information Specialist/Coordinator Trina S. Vincent at (504) 310-2590.

WINN:
Emily Elizabeth Thomas
September 13, 2018 – September 8, 2020
Service: Sunday, September 13 at 2 pm at Southern Funeral Home

Ronnie Lynn Walker
January 18, 1972 – September 09, 2020
Service: Tuesday, September 15 at 3 pm at Hurricane Grove Baptist Church, located at 337 Hurricane Grove Rd. in Sikes

Hazel Ruth Chapman
January 18, 1933 – September 8, 2020
Service: Friday, Sept. 11 at 2 pm at the Jena Cemetery

Elinor Anne Derr
July 24, 1925 – August 28, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 12 at 10 am at the Southern Funeral Home Chapel in Winnfield

RED RIVER:
Timothy John Lewandowski
May 06, 1952 – September 05, 2020
Service: Friday, September 11 at 10 am at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, located at 7738 Barksdale Blvd. in Bossier City

Mark “Thro Down” Owen Carden
September 27, 1962 – September 07, 2020
Service: Friday, September 11 at 5 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel

NATCHITOCHES:
Derrick Ray Amoriko
June 25, 1969 – August 26, 2020
Service: Saturday, September 12 at 2 pm at Coldwater Baptist Church in the Hagewood community

Power
Entergy is now reporting that there are no customers without power in Winn Parish. 

The city of Winnfield reports that 99% of all customers have had power restored. The customers without power are waiting on a specific transformer.

Winn Parish Police Jury
Permits are available at the police jury office by money order for $75. If you need a new utility pole or meter you will need to purchase a permit. 

FEMA
Winn Parish was added to the Louisiana Disaster Declaration. The designation allows citizens to apply for Disaster Assistance from FEMA. Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs for the primary residence, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, medical, dental, and funeral expenses caused by the disaster, and other serious disaster-related costs such as childcare, medical and dental expenses. All citizens impacted by Hurricane Laura are encouraged to register as they may be eligible for FEMA assistance.

Before you apply, contact your insurance company and file a claim for the disaster-caused damage. FEMA will require your claim number when you apply. Take photographs or video of the damage and keep all receipts related to home repair.

The link to register is https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or by calling 800-621-3362. After registering, create an account to check your application status, view FEMA messages, update your personal information, and upload necessary documents.

If you have suffered damage to your property or vehicle, call the Sheriff’s office at 225-254-0148 ext. 0. They will need your name, address, what was damaged, and an estimate of the damaged property’s value.

FEMA is reporting issues with their website. If you do not have all ncessary forms when you apply online the system is saying that your application is denied. This is a bug in the system. If you receive a denial online call 800-321-FEMA to see what forms are missing.

FEMA will reimburse for items like a chainsaw and gas. Generators are not currently on the list for reimbursement.

Resources
If you need assistance with cutting trees, call the Sheriff’s dept at 225-254-0148 ext. 0. They will put you on a list for service from the Bible Chainsaw Gang. Please remember that the Army National Gaurd cannot cut down trees on private property.

DSNAP 
Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) will be available soon in Winn Parish. DSNAP provides eligible low- to moderate-income households – who do not normally receive SNAP benefits – with help buying groceries due to lost income or damages following a disaster.

American Red Cross
Located at the City of Winnfiled Fire Station is  handing out clean up kits. If you need assistance from the American Red Cross, you may contact Heather Carbajal at 423-863-0200 or 423-765-4222.

Trash Disposal
Dumpsters are available for trash disposal in Calvin across from the store, Sikes on 2nd St, St. Maurice fire station, and Atlanta fire station. Please do not use the dumpsters for limbs and vegetation.

General Announcements

The Winn Parish School Board met last night for their regular meeting. Following is a summary of the meeting.

• The board voted to do away with the A/B schedule. All students choosing to attend in person classes will combine to attend school Monday – Thursday with Friday remaining a virtual day for students.
• Students who are currently enrolled in virtual classes have the option to change to in-class instruction without having to wait until the end of the 9 week period.
• Classes will resume for students on September 14, 2020.
• The most damage from Hurricane Laura Winnfield Middle Schools and Winnfield Senior High School.
• Winnfield Middle School has mold issues. The administration is determining the best way to clean the school.
• A final determination for students returning to Winnfield Middle School will be Friday, September 11, 2020. However as of last night the board is planning on all schools returning on the 14th.
• The proposed budget was approved.
• Insurance renewals were approved.